The Uchiha and Inuzuka clans marched boldly to the Hokage Tower and met the Third Hokage.
As Takuma had foreseen, when the Inuzuka asked the Hokage for land, they were granted territory near the Forest of Death. Both clans returned home elated.
The Uchiha showered the Hokage with praise, lauding his benevolence, calling him a man with the will of the First Hokage.
Construction began in earnest. The Inuzuka threw their entire clan into the project, leaving only elders and children behind in their compound.
Their future now depended on raising new ninja dogs. If the program worked, in two or three years they would recover their combat strength, perhaps even surpass it.
The Uchiha side was overseen by the Third Elder. Renji sometimes assisted, both as a helping hand and as deliberate grooming. The clan wanted him exposed to matters beyond battle, management, diplomacy, responsibility.
After thinking it through, Renji decided to speak with his uncle Nobunaga and his teacher Kenshi about a new plan, the "Kill by Praise" strategy.
Renji arrived at the Police Force offices, where Nobunaga and Kenshi were already waiting. After greetings, he spoke gravely.
"Uncle, teacher, I have a new plan. But first, a question. Who will be the next Hokage? Or at least, among whom will the choice fall? By merit and power, the candidates are clear: the Sannin, or the White Fang Hatake Sakumo.
"The Hatake are a sword clan, and the White Fang is their mightiest. But because he is of Hatake blood, he almost certainly cannot become Hokage. If a man who cannot be Hokage gains greater fame than the Sannin, even rivaling the Hokage himself, what then?
"Would the Third truly tolerate him? Would the clans allied to the Hokage, willing to surrender power, allow it? If Hatake rises, the entire order is reshuffled. Do you think the elders would willingly give up their grasp?
"What would Danzō do? He already lusts after power. If Sakumo rises, his first strike will be against him. Sakumo is head of the ANBU, but only because the Hokage allows it. Could the ANBU commander stomach a subordinate division ignoring his orders? Laughable.
"All we need do is befriend the Hatake, and rally other sword clans under the banner of 'fellowship by the blade.' Build up Sakumo's prestige, bind sword families to his side. The more he grows, the more he becomes a thorn in certain eyes.
"Sakumo is resolute and flawless as a shinobi. But his clan is weak. Weakness means if he falls, nothing remains. His personality is a blade we can turn. With Danzō's hand, White Fang will be destroyed. Kill Sakumo, and the Hatake vanish. The Hokage faction cuts off one of its own arms.
"And those sword clans we pulled behind him?
Cast out by the Hokage faction, unable to return to neutrality, they will have only one road to stand with us, the Uchiha.
"Remove a Kage-level power, cripple a clan, and gain allies instead. Our foes lose ground, we gain friends. The benefit is enormous.
"My plan is this: the Kill by Praise strategy. Force prestige upon Hatake through friendship of the blade, inflate him until he becomes a target. Then step aside. Others will finish him."
Nobunaga stared at his nephew. He had tried to treat him as an adult, but still the boy's thinking startled him. Was this the child of the Nara instead? No, he looked too much like his father. He shook off the thought and pondered the plan.
It had merit. Even if Sakumo somehow survived, no harm was done. The Uchiha simply sought ties of the blade. If others struck him down, it was not the Uchiha's hand. If other clans flocked to him, then found themselves isolated, where else would they go but to the Uchiha?
What clarity. What a beautiful poison, sweet enough the enemy must drink. What cruelty, light as a feather, the death of a Kage-level, the erasure of a clan, the capture of stranded allies. Fortunate such thoughts belonged to an Uchiha.
If they had arisen across the table, the Uchiha might never know how they had died. Truly, heaven favored their clan.
Kenshi had long known his student's mind was sharp, but this surpassed expectation yet again.
Seeing their reactions, Renji knew they were convinced. Even if Sakumo's death were not certain, there was little risk. At worst, it was simply early support, a hedge for future credit. But if the tale followed as it should, Sakumo would die dishonored regardless. Better to accelerate it.
An event like "fellowship by the blade" might be harmless without the Uchiha. But once they joined, Danzō would seize any excuse to brand it treason. Either way, Uchiha gained advantage.
The three refined the plan further. Renji added, "Just a sword fellowship isn't enough. It won't draw the attention we need. I propose we have Lord Hokage himself host the First Konoha Sword Tournament. Invite all the village's young talents.
"Let Sakumo serve as chief judge. Other sword clans, including us, will each send one expert as judges. After the top ten are chosen, the judges themselves will fight exhibition matches, showing their skill. Then each judge will mentor a finalist for one week. Finally, the top ten will face off in challenges to decide a champion."
This was nothing less than a ninja-age talent show, beyond the Chunin Exams, dazzling and epochal.
Once the plan was set, Nobunaga went to speak with other clan heads. Together they would approach the Hokage to host the tournament. The Kill by Praise plan was halfway in motion.
Kenshi gathered the Uchiha's young swordsmen for intensive training. Their goal: to make the clan's name roar.
Renji himself sparred day after day, switching partners, his father, his teacher, Duantian, even Huoluo. He treated it as warm-up before the real games.
Word of the plan soon reached the Hokage. But the Uchiha's approach was disarming: always framing it as Hokage's idea, always putting Sakumo at the center. Hiruzen was content.
A stage for the youth, a place for blades to clash, a way to raise skill and earn revenue all good for his reputation, at no cost to the village treasury, since the sword clans and Uchiha would fund it.
Why refuse? Hiruzen stayed in his office, waiting for the delegation. Sakumo had already spoken with him privately. The stage was set.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
If you're enjoying this story and want to read more advanced chapters, you can support me on Patreon: patreon.com/PurgatorialPoet. Your support helps keep the translations coming faster.